Thursday Thoughts

Restore and Renew

October 17, 2013

I recently started adding restorative yoga postures to my home practice. I have always known the benefits of them, but never seemed to make the time.

Restorative postures stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, aka rest and digest. This is so important because often times stressful situations put our body in fight or flight, or the sympathetic nervous system. When we trigger the parasympathetic nervous system, our body is able to rest and heal. This is so important because many of us don’t get enough sleep. And even if we feel like we do, we still feel tired throughout the day, especially after high stress situations.

One of my favorite restorative postures is Viparita Karani. In this pose, you lay with your back on the floor and your legs up a wall. You can even put your legs on a chair, with your calves supported by the chair seat. I love to do this on days when I have been on my feet a lot. I will use an eye pillow and rest in this pose for 5-10 minutes. Add some soothing music and you’ve got yourself a sweet relaxation perfect for any time of the day!